Real estate: the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) - Navigating compliance & opportunities
Over the past decade, the focus on environmental issues has grown exponentially, resulting in various global commitments initiatives aimed at transforming current institutional, economic, and financial models.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is a cornerstone of the EU’s Green Deal and Fit for 55 package, aiming to decarbonise buildings, improve energy efficiency, and support the transition to net-zero buildings.
This directive introduces stricter energy performance stards, renovation obligations, and digital building passports. Compliance is crucial, but it also presents business opportunities, from green financing to innovation in energy-efficient real estate.
This training will help you navigate regulatory requirements, compliance risks, strategic opportunities for sustainable building transformation.
To complement your learning journey, check our Sustainability curriculum.
Duration: 2h
Language: Available in English
Number of participants: up to 15
Available as intra-company course (i.e. dedicated session on demand)
Course content can be customised on demand under specific conditions.
Objectives
By the end of this training, participants will:
- understand the EPBD framework, objectives, and key measures;
- learn regulatory obligations for real estate owners, developers, and financial institutions;
- identify compliance challenges and transition risks;
- explore business opportunities in energy-efficient retrofitting, financing, and sustainability leadership;
- gain insights into the future of energy performance standards and digital building reporting.
Content
Introduction to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)
- What is EPBD, why is it critical for the EU’s climate goals?
- Link to Fit for 55, EU Green Deal, Renovation Wave strategy
- Key milestones and implementation timeline
Key regulatory pillars of the EPBD
- Zero-emission building requirements - Stricter energy performance standards
- Minimum Energy Performance Stards (MEPS) - Mandatory renovations for low-rated buildings
- Energy Performance Certification (EPC) updates - Stricter requirements and harmonisation across the EU
- Digital building logbooks & renovation passports - Tracking energy efficiency and sustainability data
- Solar energy mandates for new and existing buildings
- Support mechanisms - EU funding & financial incentives for renovations
Compliance challenges and business impact
- Impact on building owners, real estate investors, and facility managers
- Financial implications - Renovation costs, stranded asset risks, access to green financing
- Data and reporting obligations - Digitalisation of energy performance data
- Regulatory enforcement and penalties - What happens if non-compliance occurs?
Opportunities: business strategies for energy-efficient buildings
- Leveraging green financing and sustainability-linked loans
- Tech innovations in energy efficiency (smart meters, IoT, AI-driven energy optimisation)
- Competitive advantages - Higher asset valuation, tenant demand, and ESG investment appeal
Next steps for businesses
- Regulatory readiness: what to do now to ensure compliance?
- Aligning internal teams: collaboration between real estate, finance, sustainability, and compliance departments
Target audience
- Real Estate owners and investors
- Facility and property managers
- Sustainability and ESG managers
- Finance and risk professionals (Green Finance, Loans, ESG Ratings)
- Building developers, architects and engineers
- Regulatory and compliance teams
Our lead experts
This training is coordinated by Pierre Wauthier, Frédéric Vonner and Michael Horvath, Partners at PwC Luxembourg.
Pierre Wauthier is a partner specialising in real estate advisory with extensive expertise in sustainability, technical due diligence, and strategic real estate transactions. Before joining PwC, he held senior roles including environmental engineer, director of an engineering firm, managing director, and real estate lead advisor, combining engineering, financial, and legal consulting experience. Pierre is well integrated into the Luxembourg real estate network and advises senior executives across organisations of all sizes. His expertise covers green building certifications, sustainability strategy, risk mapping, and facility management, with a strong focus on technical, sustainability, occupier issues, and transaction management.
Frédéric Vonner is a partner with over 22 years of experience managing projects and advising asset managers and securities service providers in the investment fund industry, primarily in Luxembourg. He specialises in operational excellence and regulatory compliance for UCITS and alternative funds, with a strong focus on sustainability and sustainable finance, covering strategy, compliance, and implementation. Frédéric is also an experienced trainer and course facilitator for both soft skills and technical topics. He actively contributes to ALFI and EFAMA working groups and has led numerous client projects including sustainable finance assessments, UCITS V and AIFMD implementations, depositary and GDPR assessments, fund administration reviews, and service provider rationalisation.
Michael Horvath is a partner at PwC with extensive expertise in sustainable finance and the asset management industry, including both financial and real assets. Since joining PwC Switzerland in 2011 and PwC Luxembourg in 2018, he has led significant projects in regulatory audit and advisory, focusing on the asset management sector. Michael has played a key role in implementing the EU regulatory framework for sustainable finance, including SFDR, taxonomy regulation, and CSRD, as well as other regulatory initiatives such as DORA, AML/CFT, CSSF circular 18/698, and MICA. He is a certified public accountant in Switzerland and Liechtenstein and has contributed to designing compliance frameworks and operational implementations driven by regulatory changes. His notable client projects include defining target operating models for Luxembourg AIFMs, digital operational resilience planning, AML/CFT framework implementation, and ESG/sustainability process design, supported by his involvement in training and regulatory advisory.
